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The Last Tree
Searching for a place to live, a group of friends come across the perfect place amongst the forest trees and the lush grass. As the seasons change, the friends find their needs increase and so they begin to take from the forest. The more they take, the more they need. And when the adults want to cut down the last tree it is up to the children to save the day…
Page Count: 32
Genre: Life lesson Themes: Politics, nature, environment, community, mental health, well-being 'a word about books' says…”The Last Tree is a powerful and thought-provoking read that will resonate strongly with many young readers who are keen to see more done to protect the natural environment. A beautifully written and perfectly executed parable for our times."
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Leaves
For years, a wise old tree has nurtured a sapling. Protecting her from the elements, sharing his wisdom and filling her with love, he has helped her grow true and strong. Together they make memories to last a lifetime. But eventually it is time for the old tree to go and for the sapling to take her own place in the world and to hold on to the memories that mean so much…
Page Count: 32
Genre: Everyday life Themes: Love, loss, family 'a word about books' says…”Extremely poignant and full of emotion and meaning, Leaves is a beautiful story of love, loss and those memories that we share and hold dear."
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Leon and the Place Between
The magic show is in town and someone is excited. Leon’s brothers and sister don’t believe in magic. But he does. If only they would open up their minds and believe. Perhaps there is a way to show them. Leon just needs to get to the place where the magic goes, the place between...
Page Count: 48
Genre: Adventure, fantasy Themes: Animals, friendship, magic 'a word about books' says…”Enter a magical world like no other. A spellbinding story with the most magical of illustrations that will capture the imagination of any reader. This is proof that books truly are magical.”
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Lift
Iris loves taking the lift in her apartment block as she gets to do her favourite and most important job…push the lift button. Then one day the worst thing happens, someone else pushes the button. The next day, Iris is so angry that she pushes all the buttons in the lift which results in disaster as the lift breaks. But sometimes opportunities come from the disasters. And when the repair man throws the broken lift button into the bin, Iris knows exactly what she can do with it…
Page Count: 56
Genre: Adventure, fantasy Themes: Family, imagination, creativity 'a word about books' says…”Will LIFT you up to new places and certainly pushes all of the right buttons as a young girl’s imagination and creativity sparkles in a wonderfully illustrated read."
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Lights on Cotton Rock
Space-loving Heather dreams of being whisked up into space by the aliens and UFO’s that she reads about in her books. When her wish comes true, everything seems perfect but it isn't long before the spaceship has to depart. Heather longs to see her alien friend again but if it returns will she be willing to leave everything on Earth behind and head into space forever...
Page Count: 40
Genre: Fantasy, science-fiction Themes: Friendship, family, home 'a word about books' says…”A dazzling science-fiction read with wonderful messages about family, friendship, home and valuing what we have. The story is proof that the grass is not always greener on the other side. The grass we are stood on right now is often just perfect."
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Lindbergh
When a mouse reappears after a hibernation he is shocked to find that all his fellow rodents have disappeared. The world is now dangerous and strange mechanical contraptions have appeared. A flight to freedom is the only way out. Can this inventive little mouse save himself…
Page Count: 96
Genre: Adventure Themes: Historical, STEM 'a word about books' says…”Torben Khulmann’s award-winning debut is a truly beautiful book, the pages are thick and it feels likes you are holding something magical, you can almost hear the pages as you turn them.”
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The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Philippe Petit loved to perform. He rode unicycles, he juggled and he walked on wires. Walking, dancing and performing on wires tied between two trees was his favourite thing to do. So when he saw two towers in New York with a space in between a plan began to form in his mind. And if he could put his plan into action, he would give the world the performance of his life…
Page Count: 36
Genre: Historical, non-fiction narrative Themes: The arts, dreams, international, life story 'a word about books' says…”Readers of all ages will be enthralled and left gasping for breath by this incredible true story. A story of a man with an impossible dream whose determination and desire saw him create the most beautiful of moments that will never be repeated."
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Mirror
A family in Australia wake up to start their day. Several hours later a family in Morocco wake up too. Hours and miles apart the families lead strikingly similar lives and are inextricably linked together. Despite how far apart we might seem, we are much closer than we think…
Page Count: 48
Genre: Everyday life Themes: International, family 'a word about books' says…”A fascinating book from one of my favourite authors. Go visit countries and engage with the people who inhabit them. The world is a wonderful place and needs to be explored.”
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Mrs Noah's Garden
Mr and Mrs Noah have survived the storm, the animals are safe and their ark has finally settled upon dry land. Life aboard the ark is splendid but there is one thing that Mrs. Noah misses more than anything else…her garden. So whilst Mr. Noah begins work on making the ark more homely, Mrs. Noah sets about solving her garden problem by creating her own...
Page Count: 40
Genre: Fantasy Themes: Nature, environment, religion, spirituality, diversity, BAME 'a word about books' says…”A book that will make readers want to get out and grow their own gardens as Mrs. Noah shows that a garden can be created absolutely anywhere."
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Ocean Meets Sky
Finn remembers when his grandfather would tell him stories about a place where the ocean meets the sky and would say to him, “It’s a good day for sailing.” To honour his grandfather’s 90th birthday, Finn builds a boat and sets off to find the place where the ocean meets the sky…
Page Count: 32
Genre: Adventure, fantasy Themes: Family, grief, loss 'a word about books' says…”Full of mystery and magic. A captivating read filled with beautiful illustrations that capture the grief and imagination of one young child.”
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Once There Was a Boy
On a deserted island lives a boy who spends his days eating delicious fruit and climbing trees. His idyllic life is disturbed one day when a young girl appears. And when the girl does the one thing the boy asks her not to do, the bonds of trust and friendship could be broken forever...
Page Count: 96
Genre: Adventure Themes: Friendship, environment, indigenous, loss 'a word about books' says…”A beautiful story that explores the feelings and emotions that young children experience. It is an emotional roller coaster for both the boy in the story and the reader."
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One Christmas Wish
Theodore is lonely, lacking in Christmas spirit and is definitely not feeling the magic of Christmas. At home with his babysitter on Christmas Eve, he adds the few tattered and tired-looking Christmas decorations to the tree. When he spots a strange object whooshing through the sky he makes a wish with all his heart and the Christmas decorations come to life...
Page Count: 64
Genre: Adventure, fantasy Themes: Friendship, Christmas, magic 'a word about books' says…"An utterly charming Christmas story which is set to be a modern classic. I will be treasuring this book for years to come and know that it will give me that warm and fuzzy feeling when curled up with it at Christmastime."
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Outside In
Whether it comes in the weather that grows the crops to feed us, the cotton fields that are made into the clothes we wear, the forests that are turned into furniture, the once wild animals that have become our personal companions or the rivers that provide homes with water, nature is determined to seek us out. It was here long before humankind and it will be here long after us....
Page Count: 40
Genre: Everyday life Themes: Animals, nature, environment, life lesson 'a word about books' says…”A beautiful ode to the wonderful world outside. No matter how much time we spend inside, nature and the outside world will always be waiting for us."
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Pandora
Despite living in a lonely place where no one ever visits, Pandora has made herself a space to call home. She spends her time mending and repairing the broken things that others have left behind. When a bird that she can’t mend falls from the sky, everything changes...
Page Count: 32
Genre: Fantasy Themes: Animals, environment, nature, personal & social issues 'a word about books' says…”A beautiful story of hope and proof that new beginnings are never far away. Incredible things can grow from the smallest seed.”
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The Polar Express
Late on Christmas Eve night a boy is startled by the sound of hissing steam and squeaking metal outside his window. Soon, he finds himself aboard a magical train filled with other children heading to the North Pole and the most magical of adventures begins…
Page Count: 32
Genre: Fantasy, adventure Themes: Christmas, magic 'a word about books' says…”Hop on board the Polar Express for a once in a lifetime journey full of excitement, wonder and the magic of Christmas. And remember…never stop believing…"
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Professional Crocodile
Every morning, Mr Crocodile is awoken by his alarm. He gets up, opens the curtains, brushes his teeth, gets dressed, and chooses the perfect tie to match his outfit. There’s just time for a mug of coffee and a slice of toast with jam and then he heads out of the door. On board a crowded train, he makes his way towards work. But where does he work? The answer is rather surprising…
Page Count: 32
Genre: Everyday life Themes: Animals 'a word about books' says…”Full of wit, creativity and bursting with wonderful details, this is everything a wordless picture book should be. Utterly gorgeous and absolute perfection!"
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Rain Before Rainbows
A little girl and her fox companion travel through a storm and the dark. Together they climb mountains, sleep under the stars and battle mythical beasts. They are hopeful of better times ahead and they don't have to wait long for things to become a whole lot brighter...
Page Count: 32
Genre: Fantasy Themes: Life lesson, rhyme, animals, fear, friendship, mental health, feelings, emotions 'a word about books' says…”This is one of my favourite picture books of 2020 and one that we all need to read to remind us that although life can be tough and times can be dark there is light and hopefully a rainbow at the end of it all."
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The Rhythm of the Rain
Somewhere in the world Issac empties his jar of water into the pool he plays in and follows it along a stream to a river to the ocean. In a country far away from Issac, Cassi celebrates as the rain falls from the sky, she will no longer be thirsty. This is the wonderment of water...
Page Count: 40
Genre: Fantasy Themes: Environment, science, nature 'a word about books' says…"A beautiful and evocative exploration of water and its importance in life. You could spend hours looking at the illustrations - they are quite magnificent"
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Rules of Summer
Through adventures had during a long, hot summer, a young sibling learns some important worldly lessons from his older brother. Under the ever-watchful eye of a raven, lessons are learnt, mistakes are made and sibling love is tested. For these are the rules of summer...
Page Count: 48
Genre: Fantasy Themes: Siblings, friendship 'a word about books' says…”It may confuse, it may frighten, it may even not make sense. It may leave readers with more questions than answers...and that is this book’s beauty.”
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Small in the City
On a snowy day in a busy city a child hops off a tram and begins navigating the city. The city is overflowing with people, vehicles and tall buildings. The busyness of the city is enough to make anyone’s head spin. But it’s not all bad. There are shortcuts to take, yards to explore, trees to climb, bushes to hide under, vents that blow out hot air and shops that hand out food...
Page Count: 40
Genre: Adventure Themes: Everyday life, environment 'a word about books' says…”Sydney Smith has created the perfect picture book. It has got everything, including a heart-breaking revelation that will have readers flicking back through the pages to see that at first they may have missed."
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Sonam and the Silence
Seven-year-old Sonam lives in Kabul selling chewing gum to car drivers. One day, she is drawn to a walled garden by the sound of a man playing music on his rubab. But what to do now? Music is banned in Taliban controlled Afghanistan and is something never to be mentioned…
Page Count: 32
Genre: Everyday life Themes: Music, war, politics, human rights, curiosity, resilience, courage 'a word about books' says…”Imagine living in a country that banned something that you dearly loved. In this impressive picture book, music is food for the soul as seven-year-old Sonam discovers in a stirring and uplifting story about a time in Afghanistan when silence was seen as preferable to the sound of song."
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The Sound of Silence
Yoshio lives in Tokyo. The streets are full of sounds and on his daily walk to school his ears are filled with a cacophony of noise. Yoshio loves listening to all of the different sounds but there is one sound he hasn’t heard and he has been told that it is the most beautiful sound of all, the sound of silence...
Page Count: 48
Genre: Everyday life Themes: Life lesson, International, family, home 'a word about books' says…”A wonderful picture book around the Japanese concept of ‘ma’. In a busy and noisy world we could all do with taking the time to search out ‘ma’."
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A Stone Sat Still
On the banks of a river amongst the dirt and the grass sat a stone. And it would always be a stone. Whether it be or day night, whether it be hot or cold, whether it be Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter. The stone was always a stone. But for the creatures that visit it, it is something different and unique to each of them. How can one stone be so many different things…
Page Count: 56
Genre: Everyday life Themes: Life lesson, animals, nature, environment 'a word about books' says…”This book is brilliant. On the surface it is a simple story about a bunch of different animals visiting a stone but delve a little bit deeper and it is so much more."
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Tell Me a Dragon
Imagined dragons of the world unite in this stunningly illustrated book with spellbinding poems. From sea dragons to fire dragons to ice dragons. Some dragons sparkle with stardust, some eat perfumed-flowers, some are as big as a village. What will your dragon be like...
Page Count: 32
Genre: Fantasy Themes: Dragons, myths, legends 'a word about books' says…”Jackie Morris has created a book that is both beautiful and lyrical. Dragons lovers will be captivated by the detailed and intricate illustrations in this visual treat and will no doubt be inspired to design their own fabulous creature.”
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The Three Pigs
The big bad wolf is up to his usual tricks and no pig or home is safe. But when the wolf underestimates the power of his own puff he blows one little piggy right out of the story. And a free little piggy isn’t one to waste the chance of an adventure. The story of the The Three Little Pigs will never be the same again…
Page Count: 32
Genre: Fairy-tale Themes: Animals, humour, life lesson 'a word about books' says…”The Three Pigs is the winner of the Caldecott Medal and readers who think they know the plot of this traditional tale are in for a bit of a surprise."
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